Adjustable hat



Aug. 7, 1928, T' Re. 17,054

ADJUSTABLE HAT Original Filed Nov 25. 1922 2 sheets-She t 1 awuemto'a PILL Z573 &7. f idtilei/ $513 ablfom A 7 1928 P. A. FISCHER AvmsTAw: an.

Original Filed Nov. 25. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet P- 7 (L wanker, Bhzh JJ fwciwi/ 35 I aflom is W Reissued Aug. 7, 1928.

PHILIP A. FISCHER,

Original No.- 1,663,124, (1a

This invention is an to say,

ADJUSTABLE HAT.

ted March 20, 1928, Serial No. 603,175, filed November 25, 1922. Application for reissue filed June 11, 1928. Serial No. 284,630.

adjustable hat, that is a hatthe head size of which may be varied so that it will. comfortably fit any average sized head.

A hat with a varlable head size presents several advantages. ing point of v1ew,,1t

just how many hats to from the retailers point of view, it

many hats of a given cult to tell just how size shouldv be ,laid in stock.

From the manufacturis diflicult to predict make of a given size;

These two problems are practically solved by a hat with a variable head size,

because only one size need be manufactured or put in stock.

Again,

from the manufacturers point of view, a different set of patterns is required for each hat of a given size;

one patternwill sutfice,

vention, manufacturing cost is ered.

From the point of with this mwhereby the very appreciably lowview of the individual wearer, he can always make his hat to fit exactly the way make it fit tightly he wants to prevent its blowing off; in case of stretching or shrinkage, suitable adjustment may be made to compensate for such changes.

The broad idea of headgear with adjustable head sizes is not a new one; I havemyself taken out two ra-ntedMarch 16,

justable head sizes.

Patents, 1920, and No. 1,37,397, granted April 20, 1920, on caps with ad- According to the present invention, the

hat or cap is provided with permanently formed from the inner wardly and outwardly to the outer e These pleats are is known as accordion pleats,

the brim.

a plurality of pleats, which extend part of the hat or cap downdge of preferably what and are formed in the hat or cap in suitable apparatus,'such as appropriately shaped dies,

that the m aterjial is very stron with heat and ly and permanently creased. That part su .jected to the pleating may be specially treated to aid it in holding the pleated form.

In the preferred form of the invention,

the plea-ts extend from substantially the; crown of the hat downwardly and outward-f 1y, throughthe brim, gradually increasing in size meanwhile.

Means engageable with the hat on opposite sides of the pleats are provided for bolding the pleats in any desired state of con- TES PATENT OFFICE 'drawings, showing several ways of carryand 18 are front and side views, respectivepleats or corrugations 7,.of the material of traction, or expansion, according to the head 56 size desired. In one form of the invention, astra'p is used which engages with the hat through two slots and is then bent around the pleats; the ends of the strap are adjustably secured together. In another form of 6 the invention, a band, preferably the hat band itself, is used, which engages with the hat. by being sewed thereto as usual; the two ends of the hat'band are adjustably secured together. l I

The invention will be described more specifically by reference to'the accompanying ing' it out. It should be understood, however,'that these drawings are purely illustrative, and that the broader features of the inventionmay carried out in other ways.

Referring now to these drawingsi Fig. 1 is a side view of a hat according to this invention; Fig. 2 is a view of the hat from below Fig. 3 is a-view of an ornamental device as appliedyFig. 4 shows'a modified form of adjusting strap Fig.' 5 is a section on'the line 5,5 of Fig. 2; Figs. 6, 7, Sand 9 are detached views showing several ways of varyingthe effective length of the adjusting cord; Fig. 10 is a side view of a modified form of bat; Fig. 11 is a similar view, with the parts indifferent posit1ons; Figs. 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 show vari-' ous means for adjustably securing the ends of .theadjusting straps together; Figs. 17

ly, showing'the invention as applied to a cap; Fig. 19 -shows a modification of the sweat band; and Fig. 20 is a diagrammatic top view of another modification.

Referring now'to these drawings, similar reference characters will be used to indicate similar parts. The hat comprises a crown 5 and a brim 6; starting the crown and extending downwardly and outwardly in the crown and out to the edge of the brim, is a plurality of permanently formed creases, 1 M nature of accordion pleats, These pleatsj'? gradually increase size toward the edge of the brim. The pleats are pressedv into the hat during manufactureby any. desired sort of apparatus, with heatfand pressure, preferably; the the hat may be specially treated so that it will permanently retain the creases. In order to hold the pleatsin any desired state ofexpansion or contraction, an adjusting strap 8 is usedythis strap engages with j the crown of the hat through two slots 9 on opposite sides of the pleats'7, and its ends,- are adjustably securedtogether in anydesiredmanner, such as'the well-known ball and socket fasteners, one end of the strap being provided with the socket elements ll and the other end with 'the ball element 12. An ornamental device-13, arranged ver-' tically orhorizontally, as desired, is carried by the strap 8.

The sweat band '14 is cut away adjacentthe pleats, as shown in Fig. 2; however, the strap 8 is between the pleatsand the head of the wearer, so that the edges of the pleats will not be uncomfortable against the headof the wearer. f v jAsshown in'Fig. 2', another set-of pleats 7" may be put in the other side of the hat,

andwith such pleats another adjusting strap 1 has its endsfadjustably secured This pleated partotthe sweat band is indicated at 14 and the two setsof pleats fit together, as 'shownj, These two sets of creases may bev simultaneously pressed vinto the sweat band and into the body, of the hat. VV;ith' ,this construction, as shown .in

Fig. 5, the'-slots 9 pass through both the hat and the sweat band, a d the strap 8 isbetween the pleats the wearer. v

In Fig. 6, thetwo ends of the stra p'8 are looped, andthrough the loops'is passed a cord 17,1011 theiends of which are spring clamps: 18, whereby the length of the cord 17 may be varied, for varying the effective length of the strap 8. Fig.7 shows a slight- ;7 and l lfi and the head of different device for the same purpose, the

cord 17 passing through a hole-19, in the length of the cord 17,

eye-23, which is attached to strap S'and'back to thepiece 22 to whichit I strap and having a spring clamp 21- on both ends. The other end. is not shown. Fig.8 shows'still another way of varying the The. cord passes 22',through an througha friction slide piece, I

an end of the is attached.

9 shows a further method for'va'rying the efl'ective length of the cord 17. t In this modification, the cordis passed through ahole 19 in the member 8 and is'the'n tied v-t0 atubular. slide piece 24' through which the cordll is. threaded with a'friction fit, the

sired position on theicordi 1 In the modified form. of hatshown in Fig.

friction-being sufficient to keep itin the ide v .ofthebr m intact.

stiffness properly 1 to crown ,as with the hat.

extend-from oppositesides of the cap toward A I Figs. 12-16, inclusive,

band are adjustably secured together in any desired manner. For example, a buckle 26 II'Ia'y be carried by one end of the band, which adjustably engages with the other end of the band, asshownin Fig. 11. The buckle 26 preferably overlies the pleats 7. As indicated in Fig. 11, the hat brim may be turned u or down,'a's desired. Furthermore, the p eats maybe concealed inany manner, as by the ornamental piece 20, attached to the hat so as to permit the expansion and contraction of the pleats underneath it; as shown, the covering piece20 is attachedto the hat at two points, as by the ornamental button 20 and'by stitches 20". "The covering piece may cover part or all of the pleats 7, as desired; 1

' Referring to Fig. '19, in order to protect the head of the wearer, the ends of the sweat band '14 overlap; these endsfmay simply overlap, but preferably one end 14 of the sweat band is formed like a pocket, into and out of which the other end of the band 14' slides readily.

In' o'rder to-keep 'thepleats ,7 in proper relative position, so that theywill fold and unfold readily, the pleats may be provided with a'plurality of registering apertures 30 through these apertures passes a guide element 30 ofvcloth or metal of sufiicient theyfold and unfold.

Figs. 17 and 18 show the invention as applied to a cap; the pleats 7 extend well up theside of the ca'p,but not as far into the each other, and have their ends adjustably secured together in any desired manner.

for adjustably'securing together the ends of the strap 8,'the' band25, or the straps 27,.

as the case may be.

TIn Fig. 12, one strap endhas a hook 28 adaptedto hook over the elements 29 on the other end of the strap; in Figs. 13 and 14,

one strap end carries an apertured element 31 into whichthe corrugated spring element 32' carried by theoth'er strap end, engages.

The element 32 is of spring steel bent so that.

it tendsto spring outwardly. In Fig. 15, the hook 28 engages with the buttonholes '33, and in Fig. 16,.with eyelets '34." 5 v i r The hat ma have any desired number of sets of pleats four sets are diagrammatically indicated in Fig 20. While the pleats preferablyekten'd alfthe way to the edge of the brim, they may, if desired, be not extended that far, thus leaving the'outer edge This disclosure is only illustrative," and:

guide the" pleats 7 as Adjusting straps 27 7 show various ways a accordingly itshould be understood that the invention is not limited to the specifie details here shown. Instead of a plurality of pleats, the claims are to be interpreted accordingly. I claim as my invention j 1. An adjustable hat of generally conventional design, having a few closely grouped, pleats in one side thereof, the pleats beginning in the crown of the hat and extending downwardly and outwardly into the brim of the hat the rest of the hat having the usual smooth outer surface, the pleats gradually widening toward the lower or brim end thereof, means engageable with the hat on opposite sides of the pleats for holding the pleats invarious positions for varying the head size of the hat, and a covering member for concealing the pleats.

2. An adjustable hat of generally conven tional' design, one side of the hat having a few closely grouped, pleats therein, while the rest of the hat has the usual smooth outer surface, the pleats beginning in the crown of the hat and extending downwardly and outwardly into the brim of the hat, and means for adjustably holding the pleats in an expanded or contracted state for varying thehead size of the hat.

3. An adjustable hat of generally conventional design, having a few closely grouped, pleats in one side thereof, the rest of the hat aving the usual smooth exterior surface, a hat band, means for adjustably securing the ends of the hat band together for variably positioning the pleats for varying the head size of the hat and a covering member for concealing the pleats.

4. An adjustable hat of generally conventional design, having pleats extending from the crown downwardly and outwardly to the edge of the brim the rest of the hat having the usual smooth outer surface, a hat band, and means for adjustably securing the ends of the hat band together for variably positioning the pleats for varying the head size of the hat.

5. An adjustable hat of generally conventional design, one side of the hat having a few closely grouped pleats therein adapted to be folded and unfolded for varying the head size of the hat while the rest of the hat has the usual unpleated outer surface,-the pleats beginning in the crown of the hat and extending downwardly to the lower edge of the hat, said pleats being formed with apertures located near the lower end of the crown, and a guide element passing loosely through said apertures and extending to and terminating slightly beyond, the outer pleats of the group to guide the pleats as they fold and unfold.

6. An adjustable hat of generally conven-v tional design, one side of the hat having a: few closely grouped pleatstherein adapted a single pleat could be used, andto-be folded and unfolded for varying the l head size-"of the hatwhile the vrest of'the hat has the usual unpleated outer surface, the

pleats beginning in the crown of the hat and extending downwardly'to the lower edgeiof the hat, said pleats being formed with apertures located a shortidistance above the lower edge ofthe hat crown, a guide element passing through said apertures {extending to and terminating slightly beyond, the outer pleats of the group to guide the pleats as thevfold; and unfold, and adjustable means to limit the expansion of the hat to a plurality of different-head sizes.

ing slightly beyond, the outer pleats of thegroup to guide the pleats as they fold and unfold, and adjustable means to limit the expansion of the hat to a plurality of different head sizes said means covering the guide element. a

8. An adjustable hat of generally conventional design, one side of the hat having a few. closely grouped pleats therein adapted to be folded and unfolded for varying the head size of the hat while the rest of the hat has the usual unpleated outer surface,

the pleats beginning in the'crown of the hat and extending downwardly to the lower edge of the hat, said pleats being formed with apertures located near the lower edge of the hat crown, a guide element passing loosely through said apertures extending to and terminating slightly beyond, the outer pleats of the group to guide the pleats as they fold and unfold, and exterior covering means carried by the hat to cover said guide element.

9. An adjustable hat of generally conven tional design, one side of the hat having a few closely grouped pleats therein adapted to be folded and unfolded for" varying the head size of the hat while the rest of the hat has the usual unpleated outer surface, the pleats beginning in the crown of the hat and extending downwardly to the loweredge of the hat, said pleats being formed with aperbeginning in the crown of the hat tures extending to and terminating slightly unfold, and a band extending around the exterior of the hat and adapted to cover said guide element v 10. An adjustable hat of generally convenlac tional design, one side ofthe'hat having -a few closely, grouped pleats therein adapted to be folded andunfolded for varying the head size ofthehat while the rest 1 of the hathas the usual unpleated outer surface, the plea-ts'beginning' in the crown of the hat and extending downwardly to the lower edge of theshat, said pleats being formed with apertures, a guide element passing loosely through said apertures extending to and terminating slightly beyond, the outer pleats of the group to guide the pleats as they fold and-unfold, and-a band extending around the exterior of the hat, adjustable to different lengths forvlimiting the expansion of the hat to different sizes andadapted to cover said guide element. v 11; An adjustablehat of generally conventionalidesign, one side ofthe hat having a fewclosely groupedpleats therein adapted to be folded and unfolded for Varyingthe head size of thehat while the rest ofthe hat has theusual unpleated outer surface,

the-pleats beginning in the crown of the hat and extending downwardly to the lower edge of the that, said pleats beinguformed with apertures in their opposed folds, a guide element in the form of an elongated strip transversely of the pleats to guide the pleats as they told and unfold, and exterior coverextending loosely through said apertures ing means carried by the hat to ooversaid guide element.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature. v

- PHILIP A.- FISCHER 

